Of Microphones and Men
by PinkLily00
Summary: Secrets, betrayal, espionage...okay, well maybe not espionage...but the first two are a dead ringer. Lily and Travis would make a great pair, makes you wonder how Ray would feel about that doesn't it? Well read on to find out exactly how he feels.
1. Four Friends

Disclamer: I don't own anything that the mainstream RFR fan would recognize.

.:Of Microphones and Men:.

Four Friends

Lily Randall enters the room with a huge smile on her face.  
"I am awesome. I truly, truly am." She said as she unpacked her guitar. "I've finally gotten RFR's theme written.  
"All right lets hear it!" Robbie McGrath cheered enthusiastically. Ray Brennan began clapping and cheering, while Travis Strong was in the tech booth feet away smiling and preparing to record Lily's song.  
"Ready when you are, Shady..."  
"All right." Lily said taking a deep breath as her fingers glided to position on the strings of her electric guitar. Pressing them down familiarly, she nodded to Travis and struck an electrifying chord.  
"We change the rules around,  
We've got a different sound.  
Tune into the underground.  
Cause when it gets too much,  
You have no choice.  
Oh yeah, ya gotta  
Make some noise.  
Are you listening?  
Are you listening now?  
We're on the air!"  
"You're listening to Radio Free Roscoe." Travis said as he pressed the stop button on the recorder.  
"So how was it?" Lily asked nervously.  
"Awesome! It made me want to crowd surf." Ray said attempting to 'surf' Robbie. Needless to say, he was less than amused.  
"I agree." Robbie chimed, "It rocked the house. Soon, thousands of Roscoe citizens will be lining up to see The Famous Lily Randall." Travis found his 'concert crowd gone wild' sound effects and played it. Lily bowed and then did the rock on hand sign.  
"Thank you, Roscoe, I love you!!!" Travis flicked open his lighter and waving it back and forth. Lily laughed. "You guys rock, you know that?"  
Ray spun around in his spinning chair and propped his feet up saying rather smugly, "Tell us something we don't know." In trying to make up for his essential Ray-ness, Robbie said,  
"What he means is, thank you, Lillian. Your kindness is appreciated."  
"Why thank you Robert, you are very welcome." Ray rolled his eyes and made a mocking face at Robbie. "So when are we debuting Lily's oh so fabulous song?"  
"Well it's ready to go as is, but I can mix it, that is if it's all right with you, Lily."  
"You'd do that for me? Thanks, Travis!" She said as she hugged him.  
"Of course. And you're very welcome. It will sound amazing when I'm done with it. FYI, guys, ten minutes until we're on the air." Travis informed the group.  
"Robbie, did you get a haircut? Something's different." Ray said, as he scrutinized his best friend of sixteen years. "No, I didn't get a haircut," Robbie said, raking his hand through his espresso colored, spiral- curled afro. His caramel shaded skin glowed with pride. "Something is different about me though." He said as he turned his handsome features to the side revealing a silver stud on his left ear.  
"No way, man!" Ray said in disbelief as he high fived Robbie. "the 'rents let you go through with it!"  
"Yes, doesn't it bring out the stud muffin that is Robbie McGrath?" he said in a dramatic French accent.  
"Oh Robbie I never really noticed it until now." Ray said 'seductively' as he walked over to Robbie's side of the table. "That Charmin-soft hair," he said as he ran his hands through Robbie's hair, closing his eyes in mock pleasure, "those steely gray eyes that steal my very breath away. That stud...oh that studly stud," he shouted as he got on his knees. He now had the attention the other three members of Radio Free Roscoe (and not in a good way.), Travis included, "I can't take it anymore, Robbie, I want you I need you!"  
"Oh baby, oh baby." Lily said with very little emotion.  
"Okay okay, point taken guys." Robbie said as he watched Lily burst with laughter.  
"Hey, five minutes." Travis reminded them. Taking their seats at their mics, and putting on their headphones they prepared to do their daily show, Radio Free Roscoe. It was an underground radio show, stationed in an undisclosed location that fellow teens could call into and voice their opinions on issues that mattered to them.  
At their high school, Henry Roscoe High, "Cougar Radio" drilled school spirit in to students' heads. The host of the show and the "Voice of Cougar High" Kim Carlyle always opened the show with the ever-lame "Yo and hello, Cougars", her 'don't mess with me or my ego or I'll smite you because I think I'm God' catchphrase. She was the hawk that surveyed the halls for her beloved Principal Waller. The two were out to get the 'miscreants' behind Radio Free Roscoe and shut it down for good. Ergo, Travis, Lily, Robbie and Ray had secret identities while they were on the air. Smog, Question Mark, Pronto and Shady Lane, or Travis, Robbie, Ray and Lily. Smog manned the techbooth while Question Mark, Pronto and Shady did the show. Smog had his input of course. The group all came up with individual playlists that lived up to the Radio Free Roscoe name. There was no sugar coated bubblegum pop, no gangsta rap, grunge metal. People could only take so much. It had become a quick hit among the students of Roscoe High, who faithfully tuned in every day at 4:00 pm set their dials to 88.1 am to listen to the four.  
"Uno momento, compadres." Smog reinformed the trio from his techbooth.  
"Gotcha, Smogster," said Ray as he watched Lily adjust her guitar strap. It was her grandfathers. He had given it to her before he died a couple of years ago. It was leather with flowers etched into it. She was quite in love with that old thing. The wedding was planned the fall of that year. Not really though, that was the running joke among her and the rest of the RFR crew.  
"Hey Lil, do I still get to be the maid of honor for you wedding?" Ray asked.  
"Wedding? What wedding?" Lily said perplexed.  
"You and your guitar strap, silly Lily." Lily punched him. He planned on wearing a silver tuxedo adorned in lovely iridescent sequins. He was actually quite serious, even though Lily made it very clear that she was joking.  
The intent look she would get when fixing or adjusting anything on her guitar was adorable to him. Such dedication and love went into it. He loved her for that reason: she knew what she loved doing, and she'll do it for the rest of her life, no matter what the cost. Her golden blonde hair and sky blue eyes seemed to fit her so well. She was very much like sunny day. Her bright personality and her bright spirit emanated it.  
"Ten seconds...three..." Travis motioned 'two...one' and flipped that magic switch, illuminating the on-air sign.  
Robbie opens with his usual phrase,  
"I'm Question Mark and I'm wondering...why do actors and actresses get free stuff that would cost us normal people horrifyingly large amounts of money? The famous ones have enough money to use as wall paper...I think the obsessive fan should get the free stuff. You know, for being so loyal. The fame-endowed should pay the fans who dedicate their non-existent lives to every minute detail of some person they'll never meet.  
"I agree with you there, Question Mark, but don't hold your breath on getting paid to worship Teletubbies." Pronto joked.  
"Hey Pronto, I forgot to tell you this, but my little sister wants her Baby Bop tee shirt back. It seems that you've had it for so long she's grown out of it and she needs to burn it along with the rest of her Barney related items. Time to move on, Pronto ol' pal.  
"Hey you don't have a sister..."  
"Here's a song that'll remind you of being young, or at least younger than you are now. Just try not to become too obsessed. Here's Summer '79 by the Ataris." Lily signals Travis who effortlessly answers requests and plays the Ataris song.  
"You two are insane you know that?" Lily says.  
"And we have yet to be institutionalized."  
"Oh trust me, Robbie, Lily's a sneaky one, she'll have us in that nice room with the padded walls in no time." Ray lightly chided.  
This song faded out and the on-air sign blinked on yet again.  
"And welcome back to RFR, glad you could join us today."  
"Its 4:05, you know what that means, it's Smog's wise word of the day."  
"But, before we go into that, let's give Smog his props because he has proved that you only need two hands to run a radio station smoothly. Then again, he might be sprouting three or four extra arms while we aren't looking."  
"Thanks Pronto, but I don't live near any nuclear power plants...no webbed toes or mutant extra arm sprouting abilities for me. Anyway, the wise Confucius once said, "It doesn't matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop." Ponder that for a while."  
"That we will, Smog, that we will."


	2. The Smell of Success

Disclaimer: I don't own anything that the mainstream RFR fan would recognize. That's a downer for you...I'm going to go cry now...j/k...heh.

The Smell of Success

An hour later, the show had ended.

"Ah the smell of successful radio. Delicious." Ray said as he stretched and scratched himself in true male fashion.  
"Ah the smell of Ray. Aaaah! The smell of Ray!" Lily joked as she packed up her guitar. "I've got to help my mom with the garage. We're cleaning it out today. Woo-hoo."  
"Why don't you just take a bulldozer and scoop all of the unnecessary crap out?" Ray asked.  
"Well I suggested burning everything, but mum was not amused."  
"Oh. Well in that case, it sucks to be you."  
"I know, but hey, you do what you can on the home front. Hey do you guys want to come help? My mom will make her awesome chocolate chip cookies." She said as tantalizingly as she could.  
"No...that's ok, though I do love your mom's cookies. Can I just go and have cookies and not help out?"  
"Ah, no. Thanks for trying."  
  
The next day, the fabulous foursome decided to check out the local flea market. It was a large warehouse looking place with endless rows of tables filled with objects just waiting to be sold.  
"It smells like old tea bags in here." Lily said in a quiet, yet equally disdainful tone.  
"Lily, it's not that bad," Robbie said comforting her as much as he could.  
"Right. Do you have two old fogies staring at your boobs right now? Didn't think so."  
"Good point." He said as he followed her over to the table with old musical goods. Everything, it seemed was laced in a fine layer of dust. "Oh my God, check out this guitar strap! Its perfect!"  
"Your old one will be so heartbroken, the wedding being canceled and all." Lily rolls her eyes and takes it to the checkout lady.  
"Hello, sweetie! My aren't you a pretty one! What's that you've got there?" the lady named Elouise said. Her eyes were magnified to the size of silver dollars by her extremely thick-lensed glasses.  
"This guitar strap is really nice, how much is it being sold for?"  
"Oh, ah..." Elouise took a look at it, scrutinizing it. "I'll take three dollars for it."  
Lily's face lights up instantly. She handed her the money and joined Travis who was browsing the comic book section scrupulously. Suddenly something caught his eye. It was a manga comic that he'd never seen before. 'Hm, this looks interesting.' He makes his way over to Elouise and asks the price.  
"Oh the owner of the book asked me to grant him a special favor. This book is only a quarter, but with the purchase of the book, you handsome little devil, you must take this box of items. I have no idea what all is in here, but you have fun, tiger!" She chimed as she rubbed his already messy blonde spikes further out of place. He calmly, though inwardly thoroughly disgusted, presented his quarter's pay and box in arm he was off on his less than merry way. Robbie walked up to him hurriedly.  
"Can we please go now? The same group of old ladies keep smiling and giggling at me as I walk by..."  
"Robbie, girls do that at school all the time."  
"Yeah, but the girls at school aren't octogenarians are they?"  
"I see your point. Nice usage of vocabulary, by the way. Well I'm ready to go."  
"Are you two ready to go?"  
"Yes!!!" Robbie said, a little two enthusiastically.  
"Let's book it then...wait, where's Ray?" Lily said as she scanned the place for her less than sane compadre. It turns out he was sifting through the used clothes, with a ridiculously huge top hat on and an equally ridiculous flower to match.  
"Hey Lily, what do you think? He said modeling his 'outfit'. "Sexy, no?"  
"No. Come on, Bozo, let's get out of here." She said laughing at his costume.  
"All right, all right." He said defeatedly as he placed the hat and faux flower on the table from whence they came. They decided to get some milkshakes at Mickey's Disks. It was their usual hangout other than the warehouse/radio station. They often though of it as 'Central Perk' from Friends. They had their couch that they always seemed to get, just like the Friends crew. Lily had her guitar in Travis's car and Mickey the owner of the place allowed her to play there. He liked it because he didn't have to pay for extra entertainment of the other people there.  
Travis set his box, which had been nicknamed the "Box o' Nada" by Ray, on a countertop near the cd selection. Mickey noticed them and walked over to say 'hi!' Mickey was a stout middle aged man. Kind of like an uncle to the group. He knew about their involvement in RFR, and t help them gain more listeners, he broadcast their show everyday in the shop. He also sponsored their warehouse parties, and gave Lily a steady gig on Fridays during Amateur night.  
"Hey guys," Mickey said in an overly jolly manner.  
"Hey Mickey. What's up?" Robbie asked quizzically.  
"Ah, you know how last year you boys said-"  
"Hey, have some respect Mickey, Lily's standing right...hey...where's Lily?"  
In hearing her name, she looked up from her spot on the group's couch and waved as she tuned her guitar.  
"Oh..." Ray said, defeated at his attempt to get her a ticket on the guilt trip express. "So what were you saying before I so rudely interrupted you?"  
"Heh, ah, now remember last year when you three endearing young charms said you'd help me out with inventory?"  
"Oh I know where this is going." Robbie said under his breath. "No...er...I was on the moon...um, dead at the time..."  
"Right. So are you in or out guys? Don't forget all of the fabulous pay and all the free air you can breathe."  
Ray, Robbie and Travis exchanged glances.  
"I have to...um, de-louse my ferret, Persnickety Joe...every day for all eternity...so that kind of rules out the next week. Sorry buddy." Ray fabricated.  
"My fireplace is...on fire, and I have to monitor it. Profusely...for the next week and a half." Travis said less than truthfully.  
"And I have to wash my hair. A lot." Robbie said.  
"In my day, we could at least come up with decent excuses to get out of things. I'll keep it open for you just in case, fellas." Mickey said as he walked off to clean out the coffee filters. He hadn't changed them in a year or so, naturally he decided that it was the opportune time.  
"Whew, talk about dodging a bullet, that was close. Travis, why did you buy the box o' nada, exactly? There can't be much of anything but junk in there."  
"Au contrare, mon frere. This box is filed with undiscovered treasures. Just look at this." He pulls out an atrocious crochet wall hanging adorned with faded multicolored plastic cats. Robbie had to try harder than usual to keep a straight face, which he failed at miserably.  
"Ok buddy, whatever you say, keep your booty which coincidentally smells like booty, happy sailing, matie! Arrr!"  
"Oh hey Robbie, check this out." He says as he hides what he'd found until Robbie got close enough to see it. At the opportune time he pulls out a ratty, disgusting piece of fake hair. It looked like it had something the cat threw up, dragged in, ran over, dropped off a cliff, and ran over again. He waves it in his face. Naturally, Robbie freaks out and tries to run from Travis's cruel and unusual scare tactics. Instead of plotting his steps carefully, he plotted a step directly into Lily's amp. Needless to say, she was not a happy camper. Completely enraged, she just looked up at the two and stormed off. But before she did, she narrowed her eyes. "You two are paying for that," she seemed to say.  
"Ah Mickey, is that inventory job still open?" Robbie said as he apologetically glanced at Lily.


	3. AmplessBitter

Disclaimer: You all know the drill. (at least you should by now, but if you don't, I pity you.)

Ampless=Bitter

The next day after school the four were sitting on a bench near the stairs.  
"You know guys, I wrote a new song. I'll play it for you when we get to the warehouse. Oh, that's right, I can't. I don't have an amp!"  
"Ok, I said I'd pay you back, can't you just let it go?" Lily just got up and walked away. Ray watched her glide down the hallway.  
"You know this is your fault." Robbie said to Travis.  
"Actually I think the blame should fall on your irrational fear of fake hair."  
"DIRTY fake hair." Robbie retorted.  
"She 's beautiful when she's ampless." Travis and Robbie roll their eyes.   
"Are you ever going to make your move? Ever?!" Robbie inquired. Ray had known and loved Lily since Pre-K.  
"I hadn't planned on it anytime in the near-near future..." Ray said almost seriously.  
"Well Lily is quite the catch, I'd hurry and woo her a soon as possible before someone else does." Travis stated.  
"Any more painfully obvious 'dewdrops of wisdom', Travis?"  
"Other than the fact that I'm going to rake in my share of the amp money faster than Robbie? No."  
"Oh and how, pray tell, did you plan on paying that share so much faster than me?"  
"By hosting an on air auction. I'll sell things in the box from the flea market auction style."  
"It's never going to work," Robbie said smugly.  
"Well how will you know? You'll be at Mickey's a-slaving away alphabetizing records and cds.  
"Ha ha, oh that's funny." If you could wring out the words Robbie had said, the liquid sarcasm would fill an Olympic-sized pool. "Today's my first day, hopefully to the other people Mickey hired are somewhat amiable. The P.A. system beeped to life at its usual time to the dread of the three friends.  
"Yo and hello, Cougars, this is Kim Carlyle with the afternoon announcements..."  
"Yo and hello, Cougars, this is Kim Carlyle and I'm a loser who loves to kiss Principal Waller's a-"  
"Ray...he's right there!" Robbie interrupted. Ray was doing one of his infamous 'Kim-pressions'. It would have been great had Principal Waller not been standing 4 meters away. They sat in an uncomfortable silence until he passed them. He seemed to have something else on his mind.  
"Speaking of Waller, what's it like? In his office, I mean. I'm such a good boy, I've never been."  
"Yes, well you're asking the right ruffians to describe it." Travis joked. He and Ray had only been once, and it was when they were suspected of being part of the crew that t.p'd the cafeteria early their freshman year. "It's kind of dark, but not dark enough to be sinister, very beige though. Beige and brown."  
"Oh and there's the snowglobe."  
"Yes, yes. He's got this snowglobe of Roscoe High and he shakes it and he shakes it-"  
"Alright, alright, I've heard enough!" He raised his hands in surrender. The dismissal bell rang and echoed throughout the halls of Roscoe High, along with the clamor of conversing students. Robbie said goodbye to Ray and Travis who had to prepare for the auction after the show's regular hours. He walked to his locker and turned and twisted the numbers of his combination lock and familiarly pulled down on the dense metal. It released with a 'click'. He rid his messenger bag of all the unnecessary books and binders and shut the locker door, reattaching his lock. Suddenly, though, he was paralyzed. A girl walked down the hall, only her 'walking' was more like gliding. She was probably 5'5'', about Lily's height. Her skin seemed a luminescent golden sepia color, her long and impossibly small braided black hair swished behind her silently. She had full, pink lips that had been frosted with lipgloss, and beautifully shaped eyes, that looked as though amber gemstones had been placed into them. She met his gaze and smiled shyly, revealing white teeth, perfectly straight. Had he seen her before? She must have been new. She's gorgeous...He snapped back to reality by a hand on his shoulder. He jumped a little in reaction. It was Lily. She whispered in his ear,  
"Her name is Marpessa Kingsley. Pretty, huh?"  
"Beautiful." Robbie said entranced.  
"She just transferred from the States. California, I think. Her family moved here to take care of her grandparents. She really likes music and she does amazing charcoal drawings. She'll only be here until the end of summer, then it's back to Cali for her. She seems sweet though, and smart. She gave Ed and Ted a run for their money in Algebra today, though their tongues were wagging too much to care."  
"And how the hell do you know all of this?" Robbie asked after taking all of her information in and breathing again.  
"She's in my music theory class and in my algebra class, and sits behind me in both. I talked to her. She's seen you in the halls before."  
"What did she say about me? Was it good or bad?"  
"I can't tell you."  
"Ahhh! You are evil, you know that?"  
"Ampless equals bitter. See where it fits in? And now I get to watch you suffer. Guilt free." She chimed as she walked away, giggling to herself.  
"Oh that was low, Lily Randall. You'll get yours."  
"And I'll have my new amp, so it won't matter."  
Robbie rolls his gray eyes and checks his watch. It was about time for him to be at Mickey's, so he headed on over. Meanwhile Lily and Travis were waiting for Ray to show up for the show.  
"Okay...it's like fifteen minutes before we're on and Ray hasn't even shown up." Lily said, her usual annoyance with Ray clearly showing in her sky blue eyes. Travis, while sorting Robbie's play list, smiled sympathetically.  
While watching him work as she pretended to tune her guitar she noticed how intently he was working, how his deep blue eyes focused in on every move he made. Each move seemed effortless and expertly executed. She noticed the surprising bulge of the muscles in his arms as they contracted and released, flipping switches and twisting knobs, placing a cd case here and there. He had a broad chest, which now was laced in a layer of sweat. The air conditioning was broken, and contrary to popular belief, heat didn't seem to want to travel upward. His sandy blonde hair was spiked in its usual funky style. On occasion he ran a hand through it. Lily had never noticed it until then, but he looked like a cross between Johnny Depp and Shane West. Not a bad combination, especially the Johnny part. He was philosophical and unique enough to pull of Johnny, and mysterious enough to be Shane. His parents gave him absolute freedom. They didn't' want to give him boundaries, and let him make his own mistakes. Yet and still he was very smart, and very personable. He had impeccable manners and had a mixed religion of Buddhism and Christianity. Ray would always joke about how he was a freak, but it was only because he would always eat with chopsticks and had many, many sayings and proverbs from Confucius and other ancient wise men memorized. He had lived in London for a while, and attended an academy for gifted students. He was just cool...and hot.  
"Something wrong, Lily?" she paused as she realized that he had caught her staring at him.  
"How do you...how do you do it? She said in response.  
"Do...what?"  
"Run this radio station like you do and balance school, and deal with normal crap like that? You seem like you could do it blindfolded with one hand tied around our back."  
"Actually I have done it blindfolded, I had both my hands though. I don't know...I guess I spend so much time here, I've become a part of the station itself. School is easier than people think. My grades aren't as good as they could be only because I don't care about them. I just make sure I learn the material I'm being taught. I ace more tests that way. As for home, well my parents are usually there when I need them, but I wish that there was a little more structure in what I do."  
"You're telling me that being able to stay out as long as you want anywhere you want, anytime you want isn't a little slice of heaven- sorry Nirvana?"  
Travis laughed at her religious mix up. "After a while you miss the nagging to do your chores and the lectures and the punishments. I felt a lack of guidance in my life so I mixed my religions a bit." "Travis Strong, you are an amazing person." "Why thank you, Miss Randall." He said, his eyes meeting hers in an intense gaze. There was something there. Something stringing their souls together. "Did I miss anything?" Ray said as he burst through the door in true Ray fashion. "Ah no..." "Nothing at all." The two said as they quickly reverted back to their individual tasks.  
"Are you sure? It's kinda...vibey in here..." he mimed having a metal detector, making the 'pip' sounds as he waved it over the room.  
"Pip...pip pip..." he got closer and closer to Lily, "Pip pip pip...pip...pip pip... beep beep beep beep! Oh silly me, this isn't my vibe detector, its my hottie detector. I'm telling you, I'd leave my head at home if it wasn't attached to my shoulders.  
"You're sweet." Lily said to Ray. The funny thing is she looked at Travis when she said it. He smiled back knowingly.


	4. Robbie's Beautiful Stranger

Disclaimer: The surprises keep on comin'; I don't own anything!

---Robbie's Beautiful Stranger--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Robbie checked his watch when he got to Mickey's. '3:55, right on time as usual, McGrath.' As soon as he thought that, Mickey greeted him.  
"Right on time McGrath. I like that in young people."  
"Thanks...so what do you need me to do?"  
"Well first you'll need to meet your new co-worker." Mickey calls over to the counter, "Hey Marpessa, come meet your new partner."  
'Marpessa?! On yeah, life is good...Crap, do I look ok, how's my breath...Why didn't Lily tell me she was working here?'  
In what seemed like slow motion, she turned around and smiled at him, her long shapely legs sliding off the bar stool she was sitting on. She glided towards him and everything seemed to fade away to the shadows.  
"Robbie, this is Marpessa, Marpessa, this is Robbie."  
"Nice to meet you, Robbie." She said. Her voice was soothing, like the sound of waves against the sand.  
"Likewise, Marpessa." The sound of his own voice surprised him. He felt like he had lost his ability to speak.  
"Now that formalities are done and over with, let's start with the tutorial. Here's a question for you. What letter does John Mayer go under?  
Robbie, trying to impress Marpessa, answered, "J, right?"  
"Wrong. It's P."  
"Ah, call me crazy, but John Mayer begins with J."  
"Yes, but it goes under P, for 'bands with public/federal office titles in their name.' Marpessa, would you do the honors?"  
She takes the cd from his hand and places it before The Dead Presidents .  
"Very good. Now where does Death Cab for Cutie go?"  
"T, bands with public transportation in their name?" Marpessa answered.  
"Great job. You're getting the hang of things. Here's the stack of cd and records for today's portion of inventory. Have at it, kids." The two divided their workload evenly, but Robbie added two cds to his stack when she wasn't looking. It was the gentlemanly thing to do.  
"So you seem like the upstanding student at Roscoe High." Marpessa said as she began to file her cds.  
"Who told you that?" Robbie asked a bit freaked out. Sure, Principal Waller considered him Valedictorian already even though he was only in the tenth grade.  
"Principal Waller. He seems quite fond of you."  
"Ah, sure, It's not the best thing to have, all that pressure to stay perfect."  
"Trust me, I know what you mean. At my old school I was the brain child. Its kind of nice to start over, not to have any more of an expectation placed upon you than walking down the hall. Then again, after upstaging Ed and Ted-at least I think that's their names- my Algebra class, I might be a bit of a threat to their exceedingly large egos."  
Robbie and Marpessa both laugh. Ed and Ted were the Math and Science 'dream team' at Roscoe High.  
"You know Lily Randall, right?"  
Robbie inwardly jumped at her question. He'd finally find out what Lily said to her about him today. He placed an Aqua cd under C for bands with color in their name.  
"Yeah, she's one of my best friends. We go way back."  
"Oh." Marpessa said a bit flatly.  
"No, not like that, we grew up together."  
"Oh." 'There's hope then.' She said, faith restored. She couldn't get enough of him, it seemed. "Anyway, I'd seen you in the hall and I asked her about you."  
"What did she say?"  
"Oh, she said that you were cool, and funny...and cute. I didn't necessarily need her saying the 'cute' part. I could see it for myself." She said.  
"Do you think she's right? About the other stuff?  
"So far, yes." Marpessa said with a smile, as she resumed sorting her stack of cds.  
Mickey turned on the radio and tuned into Radio Free Roscoe.  
'Oh, they're playing my playlist.' He thought. Mickey had tuned in halfway through his favorite song, Nine Days's "So Far Away"  
"Hey, I love this song..." Marpessa said humming along with the music.  
"You're into Nine Days?" Robbie asked  
"Oh yeah. I can't stand "Absolutely" though."  
"Yeah, it's way too..."  
"Overplayed." The two finished at the same time. Coincidentally they both reached for the same cd to move, they both had to file Depeche Mode, their fingers slightly brushing.  
"You go ahead." Marpessa said politely.  
"No, really, you go. Ladies first." She loved how polite he was. Their eyes met for a while. She gazed into his silvery gray eyes, noticing his long eyelashes. She had to slightly elevate her chin though, he was about six feet tall.  
Robbie snapped back to reality when he heard Smog announce his on air auction.  
"And today, past our normal broadcasting hours will be-" the signal became weak and fuzzy. Robbie laughed to himself. "We seem to be experiencing some technical difficulties, please stand by."  
"I wonder what's up.." Marpessa listened to the fuzz. "Sounds like a faulty transmitter to me."  
"You know about radio...stuff?" Robbie inquired.  
"Yeah, my dad helped build a radio station back in Cali." He has tons of book and stuff. I built my own radio from one of those kits when I was little."  
"That's cool."  
"So are you into anything...any hobbies?"  
He could have told her that he was one fourth of the underground radio station playing before her very ears...but decided against it.  
"Not really...I mainly talk. I like discussing different issues." He said as vaguely as possible.  
"Discussion is fun. It relieves a lot of stress. I write lots of poetry and stuff like that."  
"Poetry, that's cool. Did you ever think of writing lyrics? Lily plays guitar and writes a lot of her own music. She's good at lyrics, but you never know, she might be open to suggestions."  
"I'll keep that in mind." She replied.  
  
Thirty minutes later, the two finished the cd inventory. Before they moved on to the vinyl, they decided to take a break.  
"Let's get some milkshakes." Robbie suggested. Was it too early for him to offer to pay? Like he really cared. 'I'll at least offer.' "I'll treat."  
"No, it's okay, you don't have to."  
"But I want to."  
Marpessa smiled gratefully.  
"Wait, before I do pay, is there a prospective 'Mr. Marpessa'?" Robbie wanted to know whether or not she was seeing anyone. He'd pay either way, though. He wasn't...Ray...  
"Well is there a prospective 'Mrs. Robbie'?"  
"No." he was glad that she was interested.  
"Well no then—not really anyway." She said, looking at him. "I've narrowed it down to who I'd think would make a good Mr. Marpessa, but I haven't made a choice just yet."  
"Good to know." Robbie said as he ordered their milkshakes. He paid and led her to the crew's couch. "Nice." She said, settling down into the red cushion.  
"Yeah, Travis, Ray, Lily and I usually sit here when we hang out.  
"I was talking about the stud." She said, pointing at her own ear. She tucked a stray braid behind her ear. It didn't want to stay there though. It slipped from her ear. She didn't seem to notice.  
"Thanks, I just got it done the other day."  
"Cool. I have quite a few myself." She pulled the hair in front of her other ear back, revealing two hoops on the top part of her ear, one near the bottom and two in her lobe.  
"Whoa," he said gently brushing her ear. She got chills. "Did the top ones hurt? I heard that they do."  
"Not really, well, actually I shouldn't say that. They did hurt, but not more than say, stubbing your toe or hitting your funny bone."  
"I see." He replied. She sat quietly stirring her milkshake.  
"So who did you get those pretty eyes from?"  
"My dad." He said blushing a bit. "I got my hair from my mom. Everything else, I'm not sure. Neither are my parents."  
Marpessa laughed. They sat for about thirty more seconds before Marpessa decided to break the silence. Robbie couldn't believe how quiet he was. Normally, you couldn't shut him up, but around Marpessa, he couldn't bring himself to keep a conversation from almost flatlining.  
"Choose...um...listening to the worst song in the entire world over and over again for the rest of your life, or never being able to hear music again?"  
"Um, worst song."  
"Why?"  
"Because I'd go crazy without music. It's my life. At least I'd have something to listen to. You play choose? It's one of my favorite games." He and the RFR crew played choose quite often to remedy boredom. It was a really personal game to them.  
"Yeah, all the time. My family and I play it a lot. Your turn."  
"Okay, choose. A steamy kiss with Principal Waller, or being mauled by a bear. A small bear."  
"Why would it make a difference if the bear was big or small?" Marpessa asked laughing.  
"It just does. Choose!"  
"Ok, I'll take the bear-sorry, small bear mauling."  
"And why did you choose the small bear mauling?"  
"Because bears don't kiss and tell." Marpessa tried to keep a straight face when she said this, but it was a futile attempt. She couldn't help but laugh. Her amber eyes looked almost golden in the lighting of the room. They were glowing , shimmering with laughter. He hadn't noticed until now how close she was to him, not that he minded.  
"Ok, choose...a pool full of pudding or a hot tub full of Ben 'n' Jerry's ice cream.  
"Wouldn't the ice cream melt if it was in the hot tub thought?"  
"Nope. My scenario, my rules." Marpessa said cutely. Robbie laughed at her facial expression.  
"Ice cream. I'd go for the ice cream."  
"Yeah that was a no-brainer. Ice cream always wins over pudding."  
"Yeah."  
Marpessa just sat and stared into space. She was debating whether or not she should make a move. She had only formally known this guy for less than two hours. Should she really tell him how she felt? What if he didn't feel the same way? She shook off those thoughts and went in for the kill.  
"Robbie," she said, sliding her hair off of her shoulders.  
"Yes?"  
"I really...like you...a lot." "That's good. I like you a lot too." Marpessa sighted with relief and smiled. "I was just picking up this..."  
"Vibe? Yeah I felt it too."  
"Its funny, this afternoon when I saw you in the hallway, I knew I had to get to know you better. Funny how things work out. Lily told me about you."  
"I see. So do you want to do something tomorrow?"  
"Dinner and a movie sound ok?  
"Sounds great."  
"Great." His voice trailed off as he leaned in. She slid her hand around his neck and touched his soft curls, pulling him closer. Their lips brushed.  
"Are you kids making out ok?" Mickey asked. He was bending over getting something from behind the soda counter. He had just walked in so he hadn't seen anything.  
"Just fine, Mickey. Just fine." He and Marpessa giggled to themselves.


	5. Static Bites

Disclaimer: If you notice a trend in the disclaimer, you get 10,000 cool points!!! (I Don't own a darn thing...)

AN: There will be more on the way, pLeAsE review, folks!!! It is muy importante!!!

--Static Bites---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Back at the station Travis, Ray ,and Lily were trying to figure out what was wrong with the signal.  
"Looks like the transmitter's broken. I can fix it with electrical wire and duct tape, but—"  
The transmitter spewed sparks inches away from Travis's Converse clad feet. "Or not..."  
"How much does a new one cost?" Ray asked. Travis just looks at him in an 'are you sure you want me to say it?' manner.  
"Oh...wow...that sucks"  
"We don't have the money for that, what are we going to do?"  
"I can call around to different electrical supply stores and compare prices." Travis said as he pulled out the phone book. He blew the dust that had collected on the cover. It had obviously been there for a while.  
While Travis began researching possible parts places, Ray decided to do some much needed writing and snacking. He pulled out some paper, a pen and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. 'How can I say this...Lily, I love you, I always have and I always—No...' he thought as he frustratedly scribbles it out. 'I see you everyday, but I can't seem to tell you how I feel...being around you...' he smiled as the ideas flowed from his pen to the paper. He noticed something sticky as his had slid across the paper. Ideas weren't the only thing flowing onto his paper. He wiped off the jelly and then wiped that jelly onto his shirt. He wasn't the cleanest person on the planet. Lily noticed that he was writing and walked over to read over his shoulder. She read aloud,  
"I see you every day but I can't seem to tell you how I feel... Ray is this a love letter?! Who's it for?" she said punching him. Ray tried to hide the note as fast as he could, but Lily was too quick for him. "Being with you is like double overtime? Ray you'll never impress a girl with this..." she said as she skimmed the note for more problems.  
"Well why don't you help me woo this strumpet since you know so much about...strumpets..." Ray said matter-of-factly tone.  
"Ok. I will. When I'm done with you, not only will you be a girl magnet but you'll have your own gravity."  
"Ray smiled and ran his hand through his obsidian hair.  
"Oh yeah. I can see it now... I'll be 'The Ray' and I'll refer to myself in the third person."  
"And I will shoot you. I hate when people do that. Its so...just ah, I can't stand it."  
"Yes , oh knowledgeable instructor."  
Lily smiles and walks over to the techbooth to see how Travis is doing with the transmitter problem. He finishes the conversation with the person on the other end of the line and hangs up.  
"Any news?" Lily said, as she leaned against the frame of the doorway.  
"Radios 'n' Things said they'd supply us with a free transmitter if we agree to plug some of their ads.  
"Oh Robbie will not like that. I'd call him first to check and make sure he's okay with it."  
"In other words, let him scream at me over the phone instead of him caterwauling in person."  
"Mmhmm." Lily nodded.  
"Yeah, I like that idea."  
Robbie had just finished sorting the vinyl records when his phone rang.  
"Hello..."  
"Hey Robbie, our transmitter's screwed.  
"Yeah I heard. Everyone's wondering what was going on." He said as he went outside to talk. He was greeted by a small gush of cool, crisp air.  
"Well I can't fix it, but Radios 'n' Things can, for free."  
"And what's the catch?" Robbie asked skeptically.  
"We'd have to play an ad or two and promote their new wireless radio pens."  
"Whoa, no. Sorry, we can't. It totally goes against everything RFR stands for. We don't have to answer to anyone. You know, Radio Free Roscoe."  
"Well you can tell the listeners that, but I doubt they'll be able to hear you through all the intermittent static."  
Robbie sighed and threw up his hand in defeat. "Don't you ever get tired of always being right?" He joked. "Ok, go ahead. How soon can we get it in?"  
"Tomorrow. I'll call them back now and see what's going on. Oh and how's inventory going? Dying of boredom yet?"  
"No, actually, I met this gorgeous girl, Marpessa Kingsley. She's new here. Oh, by the way, I'm no longer a single man."  
"Oh, the lightning that is Robbie McGrath has struck the fancy of an unsuspecting lady fair, huh? Well _Mazeltov_ to you both."  
"Thanks. Well I've got to go, I've been out here long enough according to the way Mickey thinks..."  
"Ok, see you later."  
"Later, Travis." Robbie said. He ended the phone call and tossed his cell in the air, it in that endearingly "Mary Tyler Moore" way.  
Life was great now that he had Marpessa, even though technically they weren't exclusive he felt like the luckiest guy on earth. That one kiss, though brief, made him want to be nice to everyone and everything. It was like...icy hot... Refreshing, yet soothing.   
He sighed when he looked over at her through the window. His view was partially obstructed by the partition blinds but he made due with what he could see. She was reapplying her lip gloss. Her amber eyes were fixed upon the mirror before her. 'If I were her, I'd be looking in the mirror too. Probably more than I should.' Her long, legs were crossed at her ankles, her knees facing one side. She was wearing a pleated charcoal gray mini skirt and a pink tee shirt with a gold brooch in the shape of a heart on the left side of her chest. She looked over at him staring and walked outside. The sun was setting on the town of Roscoe, shooting different shades of watermelon, cherry and peach into the sky. She leaned on Robbie, resting her head on his shoulder and looked at the magnificent display.   
"It looks like someone scratched the sky and its bleeding different colors..." Marpessa said as she marveled.   
"Or like someone spilled their paints into the sky." Robbie added.   
He pulled her closer and wrapped his arms around her tightly. He never wanted to let go. She smelled like vanilla...   
She was loving how secure she felt. Most of the guys at her old school were complete deusch bags. They expected to get to third base before the second date. She had never gone that far before, but she was greatful that she wouldn't be expected to for Robbie. She could just tell. It was this inexplicable feeling she got when she was near him...she felt like she'd known him forever. She sighed and inhaled his scent. It was like soap and dried roses. He rested his lips on her forehead and closed his eyes. They were just so content. He started to feel sick. It was a good sick though, like he had just been on a roller coaster that had a billion loops and turns. 'I think I'm in love...Is this love? It feels like it...God, I think I am. I want to tell her...I've only known her for a day, and I'm in love...its way to soon though...But when the time is right, I'll let her know, even if it's a thousand years from now. I'll wait.'  
Little did he know that Marpessa had been shot by a similar arrow of love.  
'This is so right. Like I was meant to fit this way in his arms. I love him...where'd that come from? Love? Love? I've only known him for a few hours...but this feels so right...like the real thing. You know when it's love. Then again, I'm only sixteen...how the hell do I know what love is...' "Hey Robbie..." "Yes..." "Do you...do you believe in love at first sight?" Robbie's heart stopped and his stomach flipped. He wondered why she asked something like that. Then he realized. She felt it too. It was that connection that they seemed to have. She knew, and she wanted him to know.  
  
"Of course, don't you?" "More now than I thought I ever did." She said looking into his gray eyes, smiling. The sun had hit the horizon and they had used up the remainder of their second break. "We'd better go on in, Mickey already likes us, lets not mar the perfect view he has on the youth of today." She said , entwining his fingers with hers. Mickey inspected their work.  
"Wow, you two are the quickest crew I've had in a long time!" Today's work load is done. Early too. I'll let you two go on home then."  
"Okay." The two answered simultaneously. Mickey noticed that they were holding hands. 'I leave them alone and they're already smitten. What is this, a singles bar?' he thought shaking his head. He walked to the back of his office to take care of some paperwork. Robbie and Marpessa gathered their things and headed out.  
"Marpessa, where do you live?"  
"About four or five blocks from the school."  
"Really? I live about three blocks from school. Want me to walk you?"  
"Thanks. My dad would flip out if he knew I walked home unescorted in the dark. Well near dark...Let's walk slowly."  
They let Mickey know they were leaving and walked out the door towards Roscoe High. It was about five minutes but at their pace, it was more like ten.  
The air around them was a mix of chill and refreshment. Above them was an ocean of mauve and indigo. About twenty minutes later, they arrived at Marpessa's house.  
"This is my stop..." Marpessa said quoting the Daria theme song.  
"Got to get off," Robbie chimed in.  
"I may go pop-"  
"Excuse me,"  
"Excuse me,"  
"I've got to be direct, lalala"  
"If I'm always correct, lalala"  
They finish together, "You're standing on my neck, Lalala You're standing on my neck lalala You're standing on my neck." they both laughed.  
"I love Daria! Most guys don't watch that show, but you..." she said at a loss for words, "You're just amazing."  
Robbie smiled and stepped closer to her. "You just have this...life force that illuminates the whole room. I feel like I'm blinded by you." Marpessa gazed into his eyes, fingers intertwined. They walked to a dark corner under the large oak tree in the front yard. She wrapped her arms around his neck. He placed his hands at her waist, pulling her closer to him. Their kiss was so sweet. Tender, like they were afraid that it would break. The world didn't exist anymore, it was just the two of them. Their thoughts left them. Marpessa kissed the corner of his mouth, then trailed them down the edge of his jawbone. Robbie's hands began to roam as if they had developed minds of their own.  
"Robbie..." Marpessa whispered, "Maybe we should stop." She hated to say it, but they really shouldn't have done anything in the first place. The last thing she wanted was an ill-fated romance due to circumstances they couldn't bring it upon themselves to control.  
"Yeah, I guess we should. I'll see you tomorrow." he said kissing her again. Through the kiss, she whispered 'I love you.' She froze and wondered if he had heard what she'd said. He noticed her expression.  
"What's wrong? Are you okay?" she assumed that he hadn't heard anything, and said,  
"Nothing, I just got a chill that's all."  
He embraced her and walked her down the walkway and up the steps to her house. Reluctantly, they parted. She raced up the stairs to her room. She sat at the window, knocking on the glass to get Robbie's attention. He smiled when he saw her and blew her a kiss. She returned two. He mimed catching one, but missed the other and requested another. She laughed and blew him a replacement, which he caught and put in his pocket.  
He said her name what seemed like a million times out loud and in his head as he walked down the street. He loved the sound, he loved what it meant. In a fit of delirious happiness, he skipped down the street.


	6. Back To You

Disclaimer: Second verse as same as the first! I don't own anything, la la la... (I wished I owned John Mayer though...sigh

AN: Have you reviewed _your_ fanfic today???

--Back To You------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ray and Lily were walking to Travis's car. She promised Ray his own gravity. It was definitely crunch time.  
"So what should I start with, just for the record..." Ray said as he leaned against the black paint of the Ford Escape.  
"Well, I'd lose the jelly stains."  
"Okay, okay, I'll write a new letter, geez. I know it sucked out loud."  
"I wasn't talking about that, dipwad, I was talking about your shirt, though I will admit that it goes remarkably well with your peanut buttery pants...and shoes... I'd try a button up shirt with a white shirt under it, stick to plaid or navy. Heck, if you're feeling extra rebellious go for brights. Yellow, green...pink..."  
"Pink? Do I just scream 'pansy' to you or something? Don't answer that..."  
"No, the pink shirt is very hot for guys nowadays. It was really popular in the 70s and 80s."  
"Yeah, along with white leisure suits and scary hair and we can all see the trend continuing successfully around us. Anyway, I don't own a pink shirt."  
"It wasn't required, just suggested. Next," she started as she ran her hands through his long black locks. He was enjoying it immensely. "How often do you wash your hair?" she asked smelling it. It smelled like soapy tar.  
"Ha! Every day, miss, 'I know everything about everything because I'm a girl'..."  
"It's a start, but do you condition?"  
"Do what? I just wash it with my dad's shampoo. He gets it by the jug."  
"Okay, you'd have the softest, most touchable hair if you'd use shampoo that came from a bottle instead of an oil drum."  
"Noted...next?"  
"Let's talk more tomorrow. I'll write a list of stuff you're going to need and help you become 'the-Ray'." she said as she studied the rest of him. His olive skin was a little dry, but still pretty smooth. He was in good physical shape, really. She hadn't noticed it before, but he was pretty cute. Of course knowing him for all of her 16 years helped with that. She thought that he'd actually mature over the years. Turns out she was horribly, horribly wrong. He still ate 'Mackerami' sandwiches. "That's mackerel and salami. Best of both worlds." he'd always say. She nearly gagged at the thought.  
Wrapping things up in the techbooth, Travis found that Lily was all he could really think about. He tried clearing his mind, staring into space. As it turned out, space happened to be her microphone. He sighed and thought to himself 'If I can't fight the thoughts, it would be a waste of thought to resist them.' he thought defeatedly.  
In a tidal wave of thought, she appeared before him, singing her songs, writing in her notebook, playing her guitar, her eyes closed, letting the music flow around her.  
"She's a song that I can't get out of my head." 'Those amazing sky blue eyes...those lips...I am so screwed. Fools rush into love, and I am no fool. Then again, pride is a crutch of the insecure. Damn hormones...I'd better get out of here. They're waiting on me.' he turned out the lights and closed and locked the outer door to the station.  
Ray was being scrutinized by Lily when Travis walked out of that door. Ray mouthed 'help me.'  
"I saw that."  
"Sorry"  
"No you aren't. Girls don't like guys who are insincere."  
"Gotcha, be sincere. I guess that means no more dating tips from Pinnochio huh..."  
The three got into the car. Ray took the back seat, and Lily took the passenger seat. When she got in , her light perfume flowed permeated the air. 'She smells like springtime. Flowery and...No, I don't care. Nope, I'm not going to care.' The scent was driving him insane. He had never been so torn in his life. This was bad. He couldn't fall for Lily, he was about to become exclusive with Audrey, Lily's best friend. Audrey was very sweet, and he didn't want to hurt her, though he knew that he'd be killing himself if he didn't. At the same time, he knew that Ray was in love with Lily. If he made a move, it would get ugly, fast.  
Ray's house was the first stop.  
"Ray, be sure to meet me at my house at three, okay? I'll be done with the list by then."  
"It's a date." Ray said as he waved and walked up his drive. He tripped as he went up the stairs, but made it inside in one piece.  
'Lily and me, alone, in my car...not good.' Her arm brushed his on accident, leaving both of them with a tingling sensation that sat on their skin.  
Because she lived relatively close to ray, her ride was only longer by one minute. She kept looking over at him and he pretended that he didn't know why.  
"What, what's up?" he said in response.  
"Oh, nothing." he couldn't take it anymore. He pulled into her cul- de-sac and stopped right in front of her mailbox, sitting quietly, anxiously.  
"Lily, I..." he said as she looked at him again, in the same manner, that look of masked longing that he'd have to endure. She pulled him towards her, cupping his face and kissing him. He didn't pull away or freeze up like he thought he was going to. In fact, he did the exact opposite. He returned her kisses tenfold. His mind became clouded and he just heightened his senses. He ran his fingers through her hair as he had wanted to so many times before. Five minutes later, they realized that the world hadn't come to a screeching halt, and that they were still on planet earth.  
'Shit.' Travis thought to himself. Of all the wise words he had memorized, that's the only one he think of at the moment. Lily just got out of the car, and Travis drove off like nothing happened. Instead of going home, he drove around trying as hard as he possibly could to clear his head. 'Where's the most serene place I could go to meditate...oh, the beach...I'll check it out.'  
Lily's parents were out of town on business. The house was hers this weekend. They trusted her being there by herself and she didn't mind, so there was only a required two calls a day to be made by her. Once in the morning before school and the other to be made before she went to bed. It was 7:30 at the moment. She decided to go on and call then so that they'd know that everything was okay.  
"Hey mom."  
"Hey sweetie, how was your day?"  
'Hopelessly full of drama, and teen angst...' It was fine, how's Florida?"  
"Oh wonderful. Your father and I checked out the Virgin records store down here. It's really nice, I know you'd love it. I found that band you were looking for, Rooney? I bought the cd for you. It was supposed to be a surprise, but heck, I knew you'd get it either way..."  
"Aww, thanks mom! I love you!" she said  
"You're welcome, sweetheart. How are your friends? Is Ray still being himself?"  
"More than ever. Robbie met Marpessa, she's new and he really seems to like her."  
"That's good. How's Travis? I cant say this enough, but if I were your age again, I'd be all over him, he's so...what do you kids say nowadays...oh, 'he's such a hottie.'"  
"Okay mom, yeah...Travis is fine..."  
"I'll say"  
"MOM!"  
"I'm just kidding sweetie, no need to get defensive. Well your father and I are going to eat soon."  
"Okay well I'll let you go then, you two have fun, be safe!"  
"You too honey, love you."  
"Love you too." and with that she was home free. She decided to take a drive out to the lake. She'd be able to write out there, or at least think about all of the crap that was going on between her and Travis. She kept reliving that kiss. She couldn't escape it.  
Turning off the lights in the living room, she grabbed her jacked and entered the garage. Her silver neon was sitting in the dark waiting to be driven. She unlocked the door and opened the garage door. She turned the ignition. The radio was on, but she simply turned it back off. It was just easier to think with the song in her head versus the one playing in her ears. Shifting gears she backed out of the driveway and drove down the street. She passed Travis's house. His car wasn't there, but it never was. She didn't know why she'd even questioned it. 'I can't believe I kissed him. He's with Audrey. She'd never forgive me if I did anything more than hug him. Its wrong for me to even think about him like that...more than friends. Damn it, no it's not. No one can take your thoughts away from you as long as you keep them out of others' reach. God, that sounds like something Travis would say. I'm so screwed.' she said as she continued to think about him. 'His voice is so deep, and smooth, and he seems so sure of himself all the time. He's passionate about his music and so worldly. His mixes are phenomenal. I wish he could tell me what to do right now. Audrey, I'm so sorry, even though you'll never know what happened, I'm sorry. That kiss...it messed up so much for us, but it made me feel whole again, even though I'm really torn between him and Ray. They're both so sweet and cute and...well aside from that, totally opposite. Ray is completely hilarious, Travis is a genius. Ray likes music, Travis is music. Ray has to figure things out for himself, Travis has it all figured out. Ray is Jason Mraz, Travis is John Mayer.' She arrived at her spot on the beach. She parked her car on the dirt path near the beginning of the beach front. She grabbed her beach mat and her candles, along with her notebook and pen. She placed everything about three or so meters from the water. The breeze off the water was cool and calm, rising and falling like the waves upon the beach. She found her lighter and set the seven thick candles around her on the mat. She lit them and laid down on her stomach. Her jacket was around her shoulders. The candles cast a warm glow onto the sand around her. She opened her notebook and began to open her mind. A familiar song began to play in her head.  
  
Back to you.  
It always comes around,   
Back to you.   
I tried to forget you,   
I tried to stay away,   
But it's too late.  
  
Over you.   
I'm never over,   
Over you.   
I walk with your shadow,   
I'm sleeping in my bed   
With your silhouette.  
  
Yeah, I'm so good at forgetting   
That I quit every game I play,   
But forgive me love,   
I can't turn and walk away   
this way.  
  
Back to me   
I know that it comes   
Back to me.  
  
"Doesn't it scare you, your will is not as strong as it used to be." a voice finished behind her.  
"Travis!? How the hell?" she said dumbfounded.  
"I came out here for some meditation. My car's over there." he said pointing to a spot a few meters away. "I was pretty into it, then I heard you humming to yourself. I didn't mean to freak you out like that."  
"No its fine." she said motioning for him to sit down beside her. They were both doing a good job of pretended that today's events didn't phase them in any way.

Review is good for you. I promise.


	7. Liar Liar, Pants on Fire

Disclaimer: Try to figure out what I have in common with one of the characters in this soap...(I'm not a man, fyi...so that should narrow it down for you.)

_Enrique and Hortencia were sharing a candelight dinner one evening. Hortencia had something on her mind...and it wasn't a hat._

_Enrique: Hortencia, darling, what seems to be the matter?_

_Hortencia: Well, I'm afraid I haven't been completely honest with you about our relationship._

_Enrique: What? You slept with my brother's cousin's tennis instructor's half-sister's bixini waxer's dog trainer??? Again?_

_Hortencia: No... I..._

_Enrique: Did your evil twin sister vow to seek revenge on me by turning me into a zombie and eating my head?_

_Hortencia: No..._

_Enrique: Well what is it then? Out with it woman!!!_

_Hortencia: I...I...I don't own anything!!! Oh! _

_She runs off, leaving Enrique completely devastated. He drops out of his chair and onto his knees in grief._

_Enrique: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!_

--Liar Liar, Pants on Fire---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lily glanced at Travis. He was sitting, facing the lake. The candlelight gave his skin a golden glow. His hair seemed like spun gold. His features were made even more handsome in the faint light. Lily was finding it hard to look away, let alone resist the urge to jump him. She sighed quietly, hoping he hadn't heard her. He had, of course. He turned to face her. His eyes were searching hers. She wondered if Audrey ever saw him the way that she did.  
"What?"  
"You. You're..." she hesitated before going on, terrified of what she was going to say next, "you're a song, a song that I can't seem to stop singing to myself. You're right. My will is not as strong as it used to be. Travis, I love everything about you. I know you're with Audrey, but will she ever look at you with the same love that I will? Can you honestly say that?"  
"Travis didn't know what to say. Lately Audrey didn't seem to exist as anything but a barrier he'd have to tear through to get to Lily. Then there was Ray. Despite his thoughts, despite Ray and Audrey and his relationship to both of them, he embraced her. The skin of her arms being revealed by the falling of her jacket. her arms touched his own. he could smell her hair, it was intoxicating. He whispered, "For the first time in a long, long time, I don't know what to do because of you, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Lily got up on her knees and sat in his lap, facing him. She was bathed in a mixture of golden candlelight and silver moonlight. He stroked her hair and placed a finger under her chin, bringing her lips to his. He awakened so many feelings in her. His arm circled her waist and her molecules seemed to buzz with joy. His own body seemed lighter. He felt like he was glowing. He kissed her neck, delicately nipping every once in a while. She felt like she was melting into him. The intensity surprised her. His gentle warm hand slid down her back, around her back as their lips joined again and up her arm. He leaned back, his sapphire eyes soft and loving. She leaned into him and just relished in the thought of being so near. She could smell the lavender oil she had given him for his birthday. He loved aromatherapy anything. Baby powder and lavender. That's how he smelled. He was so warm, which was good, her jacket was on the ground somewhere nearby. She shivered a little. In response he reached behind him and grabbed his own jacket and wrapped it around her. Suddenly he thought he smelled something burning. Lily noticed it too. She looked behind her. It was her pant leg! She screamed and started batting at it with her notebook. Travis picked her up and carried her to the water's edge, setting her down in the water, extinguishing the flame. They looked at each other and burst out laughing.  
"You should have seen the expression on you face!" He said as he tried to regain a normal breathing pattern.  
"I know, I know, it must have been priceless huh? I've never seen you run so fast in your life. You're pretty strong, Strong," she said feeling the muscles in his arms.  
"Adrenaline gives a mother tring to save her child the strength of ten men, though I don't think it was adrenaline that did that.  
"What was it then?"  
"Love" he kissed her and carried her back to the mat.  
They sat in silence enjoying each other's company. Then, all of the sudden, Lily remembered something.  
"Audrey."  
"What?"  
"Are you going to break up with Audrey?" Are you going to tell her about...us?"  
Travis froze, he hadn't even thought that they would have seen each other, let alone kiss. Audrey would never forgive him, and Ray...he would be heartbroken.  
"No, I'm not."  
Lily's eyes flew open.  
"What? Why?"  
Travis debated telling her how Ray felt about her, but he just couldn't bring himself to do it. It would only make things worse.  
"I just can't. I..." he searched for something to say. Anything would work for now. " I think we were just caught up in the moment. There were a lot of things that were said that we really shouldn't have said. I love Audrey, and it took you for me to realize that." 'Shit, shit, SHIT! What the hell was that? I don't want her to hate me!' Lily's face fell, growing cold and hurt.  
"Audrey, is it...After telling me you 'loved' me, its Audrey. Fine. But this never happened. Monday, everything goes back to normal. We're just friends, no strings attached." she spat, blowing out the candles and picking them up. Travis stood up and let her roll up her mat. With all of her stuff gathered she called out to him, "I thought I loved you, you know? Hell, I still do...I'm not really sure right now. But know this, if you hurt Audrey, I will never forgive you, because you have absolutely no excuse."  
Everything had lost its pearly, orange glow now that the candles were out and Lily had gone. He silently cursed himself for even saying anything to her. What would Confucius say now? He decided to take a walk down the beach, thinking of nothing but the sound of the waves lapping against the shore. In the darkness of the night, the water looked like shimmering black ink lapping against the thick parchment of the beach.  
Lily had had it with men. She never wanted to get married (to anyone other than Travis.) or have children (with anyone other than Travis.). All of this crap because of him. He didn't exist to her at the moment. The Travis she had just been with was just a figment of her imagination, she decided. In fact, she hadn't even seen Travis after he dropped her off. Tomorrow she would give Audrey a call. She was quite the expert of the opposite sex. (though her choice in said subject could use some serious improvement.) Lily just didn't want to think anymore. She turned on her cd player and cranked up the volume. She drowned her thoughts in tears and Coldplay. She was going to do some serious writing tonight.

Review review review! Thanks in advance... ;)


	8. Ray's Extremeish Makeover

Disclaimer: If you recognize it, I dont own it.

--Ray's Extreme-ish Makeover-------------------------------------------------------------------------

She cleared her mind of all her guilt and decided to call Robbie. She needed someone she knew she could talk to without feeling bad or awkward or guilty. She dialed his number.  
"Lily, my wonderful, wonderful friend! Have I told you how much you rock lately?" he chimed.   
"No, but it's a start. Why are you so high on life today?"   
"Lily, I'm skipping."   
"Skipping? Skipping what?"   
"Physically skipping, like prancing and galloping-'grancing', Ray would call it."   
"You never skip, something awesome must have happened. Do tell."   
"Marpessa."   
"Oh." Lily said getting comfortable. It might be a while before she got her ear back.   
"She's just-- I can't even begin to explain how amazing she is—and I owe it all to you."   
"I knew you two had serious chemistry. I think it's written in the stars for you two, buddy."   
"I hope so, I know that I'm like, still in one of those 'teenage-I-think-I- know-everything" phases, but she could very well be 'the one'."   
"Robbie, don't you think you're rushing things just a tiny bit? You've only known her for like a day and a half. She's like your fifth girlfriend-not including Sadie, but we won't go into that. You two are exclusive I'm assuming?"   
"Oh yeah. Very exclusive."   
"Oh, 'very exclusive'huh..."   
"I'm telling you, Lily, if I had to choose between her and Torpedo, I'd choose her."   
Lily laughed. "You and that evil game...Ah! I hate it."   
"You've never even played it before and that makes your little Torpedo song hypocritical."   
"Yeah...so?" Lily retorted. She knew he was right, but she wasn't going to admit it. "Subject change! Um Today is day one of Ray's extreme-ish make over, or his 'straight eye for the weird guy' makeover. I don't think he would have appreciated being called 'queer', even though he is, in the non-homosexual way...but yeah, I'm way off track here. Any comments, tips?"   
"Be gentle, Lily, and don't make him any more full of himself than he already is." Robbie replied.   
"Hey have you been to the beach lately?"   
'What the hell is with people and the freaking beach?!' "Ah, not lately, and by lately, I mean in the past 24 hours..."she said.   
"Right." Robbie knew something was up, but he just shook the feeling off.   
"You should go, it feels great out here today."   
"Are you out there now?" she asked innocently.   
"Yep. Oh, and it looks like there was a bit of a romantic happening here, someone left a candle..." he said as he picked it up. "hmmm, smells like...cinnamon..."   
'Crap, crap, crap! That's my candle!' Lily though as she slapped her forehead and began to panic.   
"Hey Lily, doesn't your mom have some like these? Or did I give some to you for your birthday?"   
"I don't remember...I'm pretty sure that we don't have any candles like that though, or do we...let me check." She said as she set the phone down and began to pace. She counted to ten and picked up the phone again. 'What could he possibly infer from me claiming my own candle? It can't hurt...' "Oh, well I guess that candle is mine. Hmm...guess I must have left it there for, um, a while. Or something. No telling how long it's been there. Funny little buggers, candles are..." she rambled on.   
"Do you want me to drop it by your house or something? I can if you need me to."   
"Ah, no, tell you what. Just bring it to school on Monday. That would be great, Robbie, thanks."   
"Okay, Monday it is then."   
"Yes, Monday."   
"Yeah, okay, listen, I've got to get going, I'll talk to you later. Oh and let me know how Ray's makeover thing goes. Tell Audrey I said hi."   
"I will, see you later."   
"Bye." Robbie said.   
"Bye." Lily said.   
She cocked her head to the side and tried to assess how completely insane she was acting. She checked the clock on her dresser. It displayed 1:15pm on its silent, black face. She closed her eyes and dozed off, for what seemed like five minutes. It was in fact closer to thirty.   
"What is that buzzing sound?" Lily said drowsily. "The doorbell!"   
She sprang up and ran for the door. Audrey was standing on Lily's porch with a small sketch pad. She was drawing the pansies on the windowsill. "How long have you been waiting out here? I'm sorry I was sleeping." Lily said apologetically.   
"Oh," Audrey said checking her watch. "Close to eight minutes. Not that long." She said with a hint of laughter.   
Lily was a very deep sleeper. She could sleep through the loudest action movie in a theater, complete with crying babies and surround sound.   
"Let me get my purse and I'll be right there. Wait, did you want to walk or just drive?"   
"Um, Lily, these are my best sandals. There's no way I'm walking in these." "Okay, princess, we'll drive. I'll get my keys." Ten seconds later, she and Audrey piled their bags of soon to be miracle-performing, love life saving mousses and astringents into the back seat of Lily's car.   
In a record-and speed limit breaking-forty five seconds they arrived at Ray's. Grabbing everything they could carry they waked up Ray's stone walkway and up the four stairs that led to his door.   
"How are we supposed to knock with all of this stuff in our hands?"   
"Judging by the prints on the glass door here, I'd say you just use your face." Audrey replied. She tapped the door with her foot. A soft, "Raymond, get the door," sounded from the somewhere in the Brennan household.   
"I'm on my way, girls! Crash." What sounded like the falling of some boxes resonated from a few feet away. The girls giggled at the sound of Ray's slowing footsteps towards the door. As he opened it, he tried to look as if nothing happened, regaining the "Rico Suave" attitude. He ushered them in with the tilted head nod towards some unintelligible place in the house.   
"Okay, lesson one! Take a girl's bags if you want some extra points in her book." Ray's eyes opened wider at the realization of the point of Lily's mini-lesson.   
"Oh! Okay then!" He said as he takes the bag Lily's carrying and pantomimes not being able to carry it into his room like the drama queen he is. "Geez what all is in here? Did you guys clean out the drug store or what?" He said looking through the collection of beauty products.   
They turned the corner and entered the hallway. His mom had just left his room at the end of the hallway.   
"Hello, Lily, and Lily's friend!" Ray's mother greeted the girls with a slight Indian accent. She was from India originally.   
Ray had inherited her olive skin, thick obsidian hair and beautiful brown eyes from her. The rest, like his sense of humor, was undeniably his father's.   
Lily elbowed Ray to introduce Audrey to his mother. "Oh, um, Audrey, this is my mom, Mom, this is Audrey, she's Travis's girlfriend."   
Lily forced a smile at that. 'What, is 'Travis's girlfriend' like her title or something?'   
"Nice to meet you Audrey. I've put out snacks in Raymond's room so help yourselves." She said with a smile. "Oh, and keep my son where I can recognize him. He needs a lot of work, but I'm sure you two can handle him."   
"Ha ha, Mom, very funny."   
"Yes, I know. Who did you think you got your sense of humor from?"   
"Um, Dad?"   
"Like I said girls, do what you can. I'm in the other room if you need me." She said with a wink.   
"Thanks Mrs. Brennan." Lily said as she the three went into Ray's room.   
"Well your room's clean, that's a start." Audrey said jokingly.   
"Wow, it is. This is the cleanest I've ever seen it, nothing growing like usual."   
"Well if I am going to be a girl magnet, I've got to keep 'the Inn' spick and span, right?" he said in a bad Austin Powers accent.   
"I guess this won't be as bad as we thought." Audrey said as she pulled out her metal pointer. Actually it was an old radio antenna that she used to play school with, but no one had to know. "Okay, Mr. Brennan, before we get started, I want you to know that you are an attractive guy, and that you really shouldn't need our help, all you need is to be yourself. That is what is most important. Now," She said extending the pointer. "Let's see."   
She walked around the chair he was sitting in, looking him over, nodding or saying "mmmmhmmm" every once in a while. She stood back at her place.   
"Ha! Didn't find anything, did you!" Audrey lifted his arm and rolled up his sleeve.   
"Aha! Dry skin. There is a remedy for this. It's called lotion."   
"Well what if I don't want to smell like 'Love spell' or 'Sweet Pea'?"   
"Use unscented, i.e. this." Lily said as she tossed him some Jergens lotion.   
"Oh."   
"And feel free to use it on your hands, girls love guys with soft hands. It's better than getting your skin scraped off by dead skin. Most guys don't have that problem, but it's good insurance, just in case."   
"Next," Lily said rubbing her hands through his hair and giving it a quick sniff. "Okay, smell his hair. I know I'm not insane about the tar smell."   
Audrey smelled Ray's hair and confirmed Lily's observation. "Okay, go and get me what you use on your hair." She said. Seconds later he returned with a three liter jug of shampoo. "'Good Grady's hair Gravy?'"   
"My dad seems to like it, and it does everything shampoos do-it cleans and cures dandruff. What's wrong with it?"   
"It dries your hair out and makes it really opaque looking. Here, try this. It'll make your hair really healthy looking and everything. Plus it smells great. Not too girly, either." She said as she handed him the bottle of shampoo/conditioner.   
"Hey, what am I supposed to with the conditioner?" Ray said giving the shampoo a sniff. He gave it an approving nod.   
"I've made it easy for you. I've given you the '2 in 1' shampoo and conditioner. That way you do both in one easy step." Audrey said cheerfully.   
"Good, because I have issues with multi-tasking. Kind of like walking and chewing gum at the same time. The gum just gets everywhere. Did you ever think of doing a shampoo commercial? You'd be good at that." Ray joked.  
The rest of the afternoon went on similarly to that. Rays' medicine cabinet in his bathroom was now cleared of cobwebs and dust and filled with skin care and hair products that would have made the boys from Queer Eye for the Straight Guy proud.


End file.
